Implementing Movement and Decision-Making Systems

Overview

This course features Coursera Coach! A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as you progress through the course. Dive into the world of AI-driven vehicles and intelligent movement systems with this hands-on course. You will learn to program complex AI behaviors such as autonomous navigation, decision-making, and vehicle physics. The course covers topics like wheel physics, navigation meshes, finite state machines (FSMs), and autonomous movement patterns, empowering you to create dynamic, interactive agents that respond to their environment. The journey begins with vehicle physics, where you'll configure wheel colliders, apply forces, and set up a circuit with waypoints. Next, you’ll explore navigation meshes in Unity, optimizing AI movement through NavMesh agents and teaching characters how to follow and interact with players. The course also introduces the concept of finite state machines to structure your AI agents’ decision-making process, from patrolling to chasing and evading. This course is tailored for game developers looking to enhance their AI systems with advanced movement and decision-making capabilities. While it is ideal for intermediate learners, prior experience with Unity and basic programming concepts is recommended. By the end, you will have a deep understanding of how to implement autonomous agents in game environments and refine their behaviors for enhanced realism.

Syllabus

Vehicles

In this module, we will cover vehicle physics, including wheel configuration, driving forces, and pathfinding techniques for AI-controlled cars. You’ll also implement complex vehicle behaviors like braking, avoidance, and circuit driving.

Navigation Meshes

In this module, we will dive into Unity's Navigation Mesh system and show you how to use it for complex AI movement. From setting up simple agents to following players and using off-mesh links, you’ll gain practical skills for creating navigational AI.

Finite State Machines

In this module, we will introduce finite state machines (FSMs) and their importance in controlling AI behavior. You’ll learn to create an AI controller to manage state transitions like patrolling, chasing, and even fleeing from threats.

Autonomously Moving Agents

In this module, we will explore how to implement various autonomous movement behaviors like seeking, fleeing, and evading. You'll also refine complex behaviors like hiding and wandering, making your AI agents smarter and more adaptable to their environment.